


The Wizarding Hour

by Abandoned (TheIttyBitty)



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Hogwarts, M/M, Magic, Pre-Slash, Witches, Wizard Castiel, Wizard Dean, Wizards
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-05
Updated: 2014-11-10
Packaged: 2018-02-16 05:18:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 19,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2257260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheIttyBitty/pseuds/Abandoned
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Castiel has never done magic, accidental or otherwise, but when he turns eleven he gets his letter just the same.</p><p> </p><p>  <b>Currently abandoned.</b></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so first off if you see any mistakes feel free to tell me! I'm not really as vigilant with the proofreading as I probably should be.
> 
> Also, this is set in modern times, so a few things have changed, obviously. Not everything is going to be exactly the same.  
> This first chapter is set in America, and it's not super magical, because America is not super magical. But there's lotsa magic later on, promise!

Castiel's birthday falls on a Sunday at the beginning of July. He almost worries himself sick, thinking that he won't get any mail, won't get what he's hoping for.  
He feels in his heart that it's a legitimate worry, not unfounded like Anna assures him because, despite his age, he's never shown any sign of magic. Not once.

  
By his age, Anna was accidentally turning her hair blues and pinks and purples, and turning the big plastic turtle at Lyett park into a _real_ giant turtle.

  
By his age, Gabriel was wreaking absolute havoc, turning frogs giant and catching Aunt Hester's wig on fire.

  
Castiel though... has never accidentally done any sort of magic at all.  Last year Castiel's mother took him to the doctor, convinced that he was a squib. But the doctor had said that there was nothing wrong with him. "The magic is there." The doctor had informed them. "Just not coming out for some reason." He'd acted like it wasn't a big deal and assured them that it would work itself out, but Castiel is still worried. The shadow that lingers behind his mother's smile lately tells him that she's worried too. He wonders if she would still love him if he were a squib.

 

The day after his birthday, a Monday, dawns hot and sticky. When he wakes, Castiel finds himself covered in a thin film of sweat.

  
He takes a cool shower, trying to rid himself of the night's warmth and dresses in jeans and a thin shirt. He eats cereal for breakfast by himself in the kitchen, his mother is at work already and his siblings are still abed. He can't help glancing out the kitchen window every few minutes, out over the yard stocked with flowers in full bloom, to the little white mailbox that sits right outside their picket fence, facing the road.

  
The mail isn't due for hours, and he knows it, but he can't help checking. His eyes are drawn to the spot over and over again.

  
Finally he sighs deeply and pulls himself up from the table, he's got to do _something_ to pass the time or else he'll go mad. He slips on his shoes and exits the front door. The heat hits him like a wall, he immediately starts to sweat.

  
Already regretting this, he kneels next to the carnations by the walkway and begins to pull up the weeds that grow in the dark beneath their stems. As he goes, he begins to lose track of the world around him. Everything else blurs out until all he can see are the weeds.

  
Sometime later, he hears the door open.

  
"Castiel!" Comes his sister's voice. "Come inside, you'll get dehydrated!"

  
Castiel blinks. The world comes back into focus, the sun seems brighter than it did before.

  
His limbs ache in protest as he stands and dusts off the dirt, he's been kneeling for too long. He walks slowly up the stairs to the porch, suddenly exhausted. Anna gives him a sympathetic look.

  
"You'll get your letter, Cas. Don't worry."

  
Castiel swallows the emotion in his throat, he's eleven, much too old to start crying on the porch. "What if I don't?" He wonders softly. He lifts his eyes to her face, she's smiling.

  
"Then you'll go to a muggle school, and we'll love you just the same. Don't worry about it, though. The doctor _said_ that you have magic."

  
Castiel nods. He thinks she's probably right, but it does nothing to quell the anxiety that bubbles in his stomach.

  
She reaches out and puts her hand on his shoulder. "You wanna go to the grocery store with me? Take your mind off things? Gabriel's still in his room, doing god knows what, and I could use the company."

  
Castiel blows a slow breath out through his mouth. "Sure."

  
He runs upstairs to change out of his dirt covered clothes, pulling on clean, cool ones, and then the two of them hop into Anna's Prius and head toward the store.

  
The drive isn't very long, maybe ten minutes, and Castiel leans his head against the window to take in the familier scenery. Anna flips on the radio and Johnny Cash croons out Ain't No Grave, it's beautiful in a spooky sort of way.

  
By the time they reach the store, Castiel is feeling a little better. Not a lot, but it's something. He pushes the cart along behind Anna and she tosses junk food in.

  
"Did we come here for anything in particular?" He wonders.

  
"Comfort food!" Anna announces. She holds up two tubes of cookie dough. "Sugar or chocolate chip?"

  
When Castiel hesitates she laughs and just throws them both in.

  
They get cookies and ice cream and barbeque potato chips, then they also get Hot Pockets, Pizza Rolls, and hot chocolate mix. They pay for it all with their mother's credit card and race back to the car. Anna wins, but Castiel holds that it's only because she's bigger.

  
It's only about two by the time they get back, still several mail-less hours. Anna doesn't let him stew though, she grabs the chips and the tube of sugar cookie dough and pulls her brother into the living room.

  
"Sit!" She orders, pushing the snacks into his hands.

  
He sits down on the big couch. It's an overstuffed floral print monstrosity that never fails to make Castiel feel at least a little better.

  
Anna turns on the tv and pushes something into the dvd player, but she blocks Castiel's view with her body whenever he tries to see. She comes over and flops down beside him as the movie starts.

  
"The world has changed." Says a deep, rich voice. "I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air."

  
Castiel turns to smile at his sister. "Lord of the Rings." He sighs.

  
She chucks a chip at his head. "I know it makes you feel better. Nerd." She says lovingly.

  
Castiel pulls the blanket off of the back of the couch and wraps himself in it until he has his own cocoon. Then he stretches out over the couch, laying his head on Anna's leg. She pets his hair absentmindedly, and he finally feels the anxious knot in his stomach dissolve.

  
"Thank you, Anna." He says.

  
"No problem, squirt." She replies.

 

The mailman comes at four o' clock. Castiel sits up on the couch, straight backed and nervous again. Anna lays a calming hand on his shoulder.

  
He can hear the man coming up the sidewalk. He walks with a cane and the _tap tap t_ _ap_ of the metal on concrete is so loud that Castiel can always tell when he's arriving.

  
Once he hears the mailman stop for a minute, then continue on down the road, Castiel bolts off of the couch, leaving his blanket pooling on the floor. He races to the door and throws it open, ignoring the wall of heat that waits for him on the other side, and patters down the front walk in socked feet.

  
The mailbox stands there, silent and vigilant, the same as always. Castiel hesitates, hand hovering near the latch, doubt overwhelming him once again. Maybe it would be better not to know. Maybe he should just go back inside and forget about it. He pulls the latch.

  
There's a bundle of mail inside, newspaper and bank statements mixed in with _Thinking of You_ 's. He sifts through them, trying his hardest not to panic. And then... he catches a glimpse of a yellow envelope. There's one, it's Anna's. There's another, it's addressed to Gabriel. And then...  
There it is. His letter. It's thick and heavy, addressed in emerald-green ink.

Castiel Novak  
426 N. Marshall Rd.  
Jefferson City, MO  
65101He turns it over in his palm reverently, feeling the weight of it. On the back is a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding a large letter H.

  
His heart soars. He made it. _He made it._ He has enough magic in him after all. He feels a grin pulling at the sides of his mouth, and he does nothing to stop it. He just stands there smiling, staring at the letter. His neighbors are going to think he's gone nuts.

  
He hears footsteps behind him, his sister's voice. "Cas?" She says tentatively.

  
He spins and throws his arms around her, burying his face in her shoulder. "I got it!" He says into her shirt.

  
He can almost _hear_ her smile as she lays her hand on his head. "I knew you would." She says.

  
She throws her arm around him and they move back inside, where there's air conditioning. Castiel sets the rest of the mail on the kitchen table, he notices that there's also a letter from the Salem Witches Institute, but ignores it because it doesn't exactly apply to him.

  
He slides his finger under the back flap of the green inked envelope and slowly peels it away, careful not to tear. Once it's opened, he slides out the letter. It reads:

 

HOGWARTS SCHOOL _of_ WITCHCRAFT _and_ WIZARDRY  
                                 ~  
Headmaster: Robert Singer  
 _(Head Auror rt., Grand Sorc., Chief Warlock, Head of Counsel for ERMC,)_ Dear Mr. Novak,  
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed list of all necessary books and equipment.  
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.  
Yours sincerely,  
Ellen Harvelle,  
 _Deputy Headmistress_ Castiel blows out a breath, relief and wonder and happiness collide inside him. To see his own name on that paper, it's like a dream.

  
Then, he has a brief moment of panic. "I don't have have an owl!" He says to his sister.

  
She waves his worry aside. "You can use mine."

  
Anna and Gabriel both have owls, but they're not allowed outside of his sibling's rooms because his mother thinks they're "dirty, disease infested creatures." The only reason she allowed them to get the animals in the first place was so that she could communicate with them at school without racking up a huge phone bill. Castiel doesn't think that the owls are dirty, he thinks they're beautiful, he hopes that he'll be allowed one.

  
Moving on, he pulls out a second piece of paper. It reads:

 

HOGWARTS SCHOOL _of_ WITCHCRAFT _and_ WIZARDRY  
                                 ~  
UNIFORM  
First year students will require:

  1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
  2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
  3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
  4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)



Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags.

COURSE BOOKS  
All students should have a copy of each of the following:

  
_The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)_  
By Miranda Goshawk

  
_A World History of Magic_  
By Adam Whistlethwight

  
_A Guide to Magical Theory_  
By Cannira Dyst

  
_A Beginners Guide to Transfiguration_  
By Minerva Mcgonagall

  
_Two Thousand Herbs and Fungi_  
By Neville Longbottom

  
_Magical Drafts and Potions_  
By Arsenius Jigger

  
_Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_  
By Newt Scamander

  
_Defense Against the Dark Arts: A Practical Guide_  
By Harry Potter

OTHER EQUIPMENT  
1 wand  
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)  
1 set glass or crystal phials  
1 telescope  
1 set brass scales  
Students may also bring an owl _or_ a cat _or_ a toadPARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO OWN THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKSCastiel sets both pieces of paper on the table and smooths them out.

  
"Wow." He breathes.

  
"Heavy, isn't it?" Says Anna. "I was so excited when I got my letter that I threw up."

  
Castiel laughs. "I don't remember that!" He turns his head to find his sister smiling at him.

  
"Well, you were just a little thing. When Gabriel got _his_ letter he went and told all of his muggle friends about it and they had to get a Magical Enforcement squad down here to wipe their memories."

  
" _Oh my god._ "

  
"I know, right! It was a whole big thing."

  
"Why don't I remember _that_?" Castiel wonders.

  
"You were at Aunt Hester's, remember? Because you were having problems with your lungs and mom thought the air in Colorado might help?"

  
"Oh _yeah_!" Castiel says. He remembers that now. He'd spent a whole, awful four months at Aunt Hester's. It had smelled like death and dust and cat piss. "I miss all the good stuff."

  
" _Trust me,_ " Anna says, waving her hand. "you did _not_ want to be here for that. Mom was _livid._ She threatened to make Gabe stay at muggle school."

  
"Yikes."

  
"Yeah. So, you know, you're doing pretty good so far."

  
"Thanks." Castiel says, feeling lighter, less worried, _better_ , than he has in a very long time.

 

Gabriel finally comes down stares about an hour later, shirtless and looking like he might have just woken up. He goes to straight to the fridge and pulls out the tube of chocolate chip cookie dough. He makes a pleased noise and opens it to start immediately chowing down.

  
"I got my letter, Gabe!" Castiel says from the kitchen table.

  
"Awesome!" Gabriel says around a mouth full of cookie dough. He comes over to give Castiel an enthusiastic high five.

  
Gabriel is thirteen, he's gone to Hogwarts for two years already. Castiel hopes that he'll be able to stick close to his brother. He'd stick close to Anna, but she's in her last year and he probably won't actually see her much.

  
Both of Castiel's siblings are in different houses, too. Anna was sorted into Gryffindor, Gabriel into Slytherin. He hopes he gets sorted into one of their houses.

  
"Don't tell any muggles about your letter!" Gabriel says, wagging a finger in warning. "Mom'll kick your ass." Castiel stifles a laugh at the haunted look on his brother's face.

 

When their mother gets home that evening, she looks worried.

  
"Did you get your letter?" She asks her youngest warily.

  
Castiel beams and brings it out from where he was hiding it behind his back.

  
His mother's face immediately melts into an expression of relief. She swoops forward to gather him into a hug.

  
"I'm so proud of you!" She says, placing a kiss on the side of Castiel's head. "I knew you'd get it!"

  
Castiel isn't so sure about that, but he doesn't say anything about it. He's glad to have eased his mother's worry.

  
Later that night the four of them gather around the kitchen table and write reply letters, then send them off with Anna and Gabriel's owls, Lola and Monstertruck the Giant-Slayer, respectively.

  
Castiel watches the owls fly off into the darkening night, speeding toward Hogwarts.

 

They leave a week before term starts. Castiel watches from the plane window as the United States shrinks beneath him and, eventually, disappears.

  
He begins to feel homesick, but also he feels a wonderful sense of _adventure_. This is something new! There's no telling what he'll _learn_ , what he'll _do_ , who he'll _meet_. He bounces up and down in his chair in excitement.

  
Beside him, Gabriel laughs. "You ready for this?" He asks.

  
"Yes!" Castiel exclaims. He's ready for this. He's so ready for this.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know if you spot any mistakes!  
> :)

London is a little overwhelming, and Castiel is so excited that he barely takes anything in at all and he wonders how his sister managed to do it all on her own her first year.

They get in late and end up staying at the Leaky Cauldren. It's a shabby old pub but Castiel doesn't care, it's amazing. He gazes in awe at the two witches at the table in the corner playing Wizard Chess, at the wizard at the bar making tiny smoke knights and princesses with his pipe. The bartender is a suspicious-eyed man named George who inherited this place from his father and will tell you _all_ about if you stand near him for any length of time. Castiel loves him.

  
His room, in between his siblings', is large and old. Innumerable shoes have worn the most common routes about the room deep into the threadbare carpet until you can almost see the wood beneath. His trunk sits open at the foot of the large bed, only about halfway full of clothes and books and nicknacks, the rest will be filled with school supplies very soon.

  
He slips under the covers and lays there for a long time, unable to sleep. His whole body is tense with excitement. There are so many _new things_ here. In America, wizarding towns are few and far between. The Novak home is in a regular city full of muggles and they only know a few other wizards, so it's actually fairly rare that Castiel sees any magic at all. Here, though... they've only been here for a few hours and already he's seen so much! It's so open and unbridled, no one hides their magic here.

  
A sick feeling creeps up into Castiel's stomach then because he _still_ hasn't done any magic, despite having received his letter. What if they got it wrong? What if this is all just a big mistake? What if he arrives at the school and they laugh and tell him to go home?  
He swallows dryly and squeezes his eyes shut tight.

 

* * *

 

He's awoken, bright and early, by Gabriel jumping on his bed. Despite being two years older, Gabriel has massive amounts more energy than Castiel does. Infinite amounts are stored _somewhere_ about his small person.

  
"Wake up!" He shouts enthusiastically. "It's time for _breakfast_!"

  
"How did you even get in here?" Castiel grumbles from under his blanket.

  
"Don't worry about it!" Gabriel says suspiciously.

  
"Ugh." Says Castiel.

Breakfast is pancakes and coffee, toast, bacon, and eggs. The smells waft through the building, permeating every bit of it, so that Castiel is ravenous by the time he sits down to eat at a small table downstairs.

  
Anna just eats eggs, sunny side up, and toast. She sops her toast in the egg yolk before eating it, which makes Gabriel gag and mime vomiting over his pancakes, which are absolutely swimming in blueberry syrup which, apparently, he brought from home. Castiel chews on his crunchy bacon thoughtfully. His siblings are so happy, so relaxed. They don't seem anxious in the slightest. Anna even starts talking to the waitress about her courses this year. Castiel sits up straighter and tries to adopt some of his siblings' demeanor, tries to inject some of their carefree attitude into himself. It doesn't work, he just feels nauseous.

  
After they eat they slip out the back of the pub into a little walled courtyard full of trash and bright weeds. Anna pulls her wand out of the pocket of her jeans and taps a brick (three up, two across) three times with the tip of it. After a moment the brick starts to wriggle and quiver. A small hole appears in the middle of it. The hole grows wider and wider until they're facing an enormous archway that opens into a quaintly cobbled street that twists and turns out of sight. A small silver street sign announces that this is Diagon Alley.

  
Castiel takes a deep breath and steps through the archway after his siblings, it immediately shrinks back to nothing once they're through.

  
The sun is bright, glinting off storefronts and shining through display windows. Anna grins at him.

  
"Cool, huh?"

  
Castiel just nods dumbly.

  
"So!" His sister starts again. "What should we get first?"

  
"Candy!" Shouts Gabriel, drawing the looks of several passers by.

  
Anna rolls her eyes. "What _school supplies_ should we get first?"

  
"Fireworks!" Exclaims Gabriel. His face lights up with manic glee. "Let's go to Weasleys'! Cas has never been there!"

  
"Fine." Says Anna.

  
Gabriel punches the air in victory.

  
" _After_ we get school supplies." She continues.

  
Gabriel droops. "But that'll take _forever._ We'll run out of time!" He whines.

  
"We have all of this week, don't be a drama queen."

  
Gabriel frowns.

  
Anna lifts both of her eyebrows.

  
"Fine." Gabriel mutters finally.

  
Anna nods and then turns on her heel and starts down the street. Gabriel stomps after her. Castiel keeps getting distracted by windows displaying books and potions, animals, broomsticks, and trinkets. He'll stand in awe for several minutes before realizing that his siblings have gone on without him, then he'll have to sprint to catch up.

  
He feels odd here, so many of the witches and wizards milling about have on billowy robes and cloaks instead of muggle clothes and he feels like he might stick out. Anna and Gabriel don't seem to care though, they both have on muggle clothes as well and don't seem to have a second thought about it, so it must be okay. They've both been here many more times than Castiel has, he figures they probably know more about it.

  
The first place they actually go into is a wide store called Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. The sign swings gently over door, letters curling in on themselves. In the windows are mannequins, dressed in varying degrees of finery. A small bell chimes when they enter, and Castiel wonders who thought it would be good to decorate with this much pastel. The place looks like it's made of cotton candy.

  
"Hello there!" Says a friendly young witch dressed in all mauve from the front counter. "Welcome to Madam Malkin's, how can I help you?"

  
"We need new robes." Anna speaks up.

  
The girl nods and gestures for another young witch to come over, she's also dressed in mauve. "This is Llysa." She introduces her. "She'll assist you if you'll just follow her to the back."

  
The back of the shop is madness. Witches dressed in mauve scurry about taking the measurements of witches and wizards of varying ages who stand on footstools. Llysa guides them to three stools all in a row, and starts measuring Anna.

  
"Any particular robes you're interested in?" The girl says hurriedly.

  
"We just need school robes." Anna tells her.

  
The girl sighs with relief. "Oh good. Those are the easiest." She shakes her head. "We're so swamped right now."

  
Anna nods understandingly and begins talking easily with the girl about... something. Castiel isn't listening. He's staring around the store in awe. On one side of the store, custom ordered robes hang on high racks. On the other side, miles of gorgeous fabrics lay stacked high in rolls.

  
All around Castiel flows sound, people talking and arguing, he feels like a boulder at the center of a river.

  
"All right, dear?" Llysa wonders, pulling him from his musings. She starts to measure his arms.

  
"Oh, yes." Castiel assures her. "Who is Madam Malkin?" He wonders.

  
"She started the shop." Llysa informs him. "She's gone now, has been for years. Her daughter inherited it, but she's a Balish, not a Malkin. Doesn't seem right, if you ask me. But she _did_ expand the shop, brought in a lot more business. I thought we were going to close there for a while, but things have really picked up!" She smiles at Castiel, who has been listening with a dazed sort of look on his face. "Is this your first year?" She asks kindly.

  
Castiel nods.

  
"Any idea what house you'll be in?"

  
Castiel shakes his head again. "Anna is in Gryffindor and Gabe is in Slytherin. But our mom was in Gryffindor too."

  
"What about your father, dear?" Llysa asks.

  
Castiel shrugs. "I've never met him and mom doesn't talk about him."

  
Llysa nods sympathetically. Then she pats him on the shoulder. "All done!" She says. "If you'll just wait over there for a minute I'll have Symone ring you up."

  
Castiel wanders over to where Anna and Gabriel are already sitting on a bench in a small waiting area. After about ten minutes a small woman comes out of a back room with a large bag that apparently contains all of their new robes. She guides them to the front and rings them up on a free register.

  
"Have a nice day!" She calls as they leave.

  
"Hmm." Anna says after they've exited the store. "Maybe we should have come here last, this bag is heavy."

  
"I'll carry it!" Says Gabriel. He takes it from Anna and then immediately drops it to the ground. "That's heavy." He muses.

  
Anna throws her hands into the air. "That's what I just- ugh! Whatever. We'll just drop it back at our rooms, we're not that far off."

  
And so they tromp back up the road, Gabriel grumbling all the way, to drop the bag off. Once they're back out in the sun Anna says "Let's get Cas his wand next!"

  
Gabriel nods excitedly. "It's the best part!" He whips out his own. "Vine wood and Dragon Heartstring! 10 and a half inches!" He says proudly.

  
They make their way down the street to a shop that's narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters above the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.  
A single wand sits on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window. Castiel hears a tinkling bell ring somewhere in the shop when they come in. The shop is tiny and empty except for a single, spindly chair. Castiel can see cobwebs in the dark corners of the place.

  
"Are they going out of business or something?" Castiel whispers to Anna.

  
She shakes her head. "Everybody gets their wands here. It's been like this for as long as I can remember."

  
The shop is quiet and still. Dust motes twirl in beams of light from the grimy windows. Even the air here feels magic, and Castiel feels like he should be as quiet and still as possible. Thousands and thousands of narrow boxes are piled against the walls, one on top of another, all the way up to the ceiling. He wonders of they're being kept from toppling by some spell.

  
"Good afternoon." Says a soft voice.

  
Castiel jumps. Behind him, Gabriel says "Holy shit!"

  
An old man stands before them, his wide, pale eyes are squinted at Gabriel in disapproval.

  
Castiel clears his throat. "Hello." He says.

  
The man's gaze slides away from Gabriel. "Ah," he says, brightening. "the youngest Novak. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Not a trouble maker like _this one_ are you?" He asks, gesturing at Gabriel.

  
"No sir." Castiel assures him. He hears Anna snicker behind him.

  
"Yes, well, that remains to be seen." Says Mr. Ollivander, pulling a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"

  
Castiel sticks out his right arm and Mr. Ollivander begins to measure from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to the floor, knee to armpit, and around his head. After a while Ollivander wanders off to look through boxes while the tape measure keeps going, all on its own.

  
"That will do." Ollivander tells the tape measure after a while. It crumbles into a pile at Castiel's feet.

  
"Alright, here we are. Try this one. Cedar and Dittany stalk. Ten inches. Quite brittle. Yes, just give it a wave."

  
Castiel takes the wand from the man's wrinkled hand and gives it a little wave. Nothing happens. Ollivander snatches it away and a tight, panicked feeling grips Castiel's chest.

  
"Oak and Kelpie hair. Eight inches. Very flexible. Give it a whirl."

  
Nothing happens again and Ollivander snatches it away as well.

  
"Hmm, how about this one? Maple and Kneazle Whisker. Twelve inches. Very supple."

  
Nothing. Nothing nothing nothing.

  
They keep trying, the pile of wrong wands grows and grows until it threatens to topple and Castiel thinks he might cry. Anna puts a comforting hand on his shoulder.

  
"We'll find it, Castiel." She says. "Sometimes it just takes a little bit."

  
Castiel nods, unconvinced, and takes the next wand with trembling fingers.

  
"Yew and Dragon Heartstring. Eleven inches. Quite strong."

  
Castiel feels a sudden warmth in his fingertips and this time when he waves the wand green sparks shoot from the end. He gasps in surprise, heart lifting.

  
"Oh, good, good!" Ollivander is saying. He claps his hands together, looking at Castiel oddly. "Never would have pegged you for that one, but I suppose we'll see, won't we?" He laughs and Castiel smiles back, even though he has no idea what the man is going on about.

  
"I did magic." He breathes.

  
"Well... yes." Ollivander squints at him. "That's what they're for, after all."

  
Castiel laughs. Everything is okay.

  
They pay the man seven Galleons and he sweeps them out of the store with a wave.

  
Gabriel snorts as they take off down the street. "How is he even still alive? He's got to be a thousand years old."

  
Normally, Anna would chastise him for that sort of comment, but she just nods. "Maybe he's a vampire." She speculates.

  
Castiel just walks a step behind them, wand clutched tight against his chest.

  
Anna looks back at him and smiles. "You alright?"

  
Castiel smiles big. "I did magic."

  
Anna laughs and Gabriel reaches back to ruffle his hair. "Yeah you did!" He says.

 

Next they go into a shop called Flourish and Blotts to buy their school books. Castiel, who loves books to begin with, is beside himself with happiness. He's never been in a magic bookshop before, and it doesn't disappoint. There are the school books, yes, but also books full of curses, books full of strange symbols, books about stars and books about monsters, books about how to tell the future, and books with nothing in them at all. They buy their regular books and then Castiel also buys a book about stars and a book about Centaurs.

  
Castiel also gets a pewter cauldron, a set of scales for measuring potion ingredients, a world globe that's constantly moving and changing in real time and can be enchanted to show where your loved ones are, a black telescope, and a pair of bright red dragon hide gloves.

  
In the Apothecary, Castiel is mesmerized. It smells terrible, but it's amazing. Barrels of slimy stuff sit on the floor; jars of herbs, dried roots and bright powders line the walls; bundles of feathers, strings of fangs, and snarled claws hang from the ceiling. Castiel gets a base set of potion ingredients, as well as a set of silver knives and glass vials.

  
Afterward, Anna flicks through her list. "That's it!" She says. "Except... mom said you can get an owl."

  
Eeylops Owl Emporium is a dark store full of rustling and flickering and jewl-bright eyes. It smells musty and strange, but not bad for a place full of owls.  
There are barn owls, snowy owls, and spotted owls. There are spectacled owls, burrowing owls, and barred owls. They're in cages and on perches. No surface in the store is safe from the owls, they're everywhere.

  
After much deliberation he decides on a small Elf Owl with big eyes and dusty brown feathers. It shuffles over to him and offers up a half-eaten grasshopper. It's love at first sight.

 

At supper, the owls sit with them. Castiel can't get over the fact that owls are just _allowed_ places. His owl perches quietly on the back of his chair and he feeds it food from from his plate.

  
"You're going to spoil it." Anna sings. Her own owl steals a bit of fried potato off of her plate when she isn't looking.

  
Castiel ignores his sister in favor of petting his owl's head softly, it leans into his touch.

  
"What are you going to name it?" Gabriel wonders. "How 'bout Sledgehammer? That's a good name."

  
"Hmm..." Says Castiel. "Maybe... Athena. I like "Athena"."

  
Gabriel frowns. "Well I guess if you want to be boring about it."

  
Anna slaps Gabriel on the arm. "Athena is a great name." She says to Castiel.

  
Athena sleeps in his room that night, perched on his nightstand. He has a cage for her, but he leaves it open. He finds the occasional sound of her ruffling feathers soothing. He sleeps well now that the weight of worrying about whether or not he could actually do magic is off of his chest.

* * *

The next day they go to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, which is apparently Gabriel's favorite place in the world.

  
It's an enormous, two storied joke shop, and it's absolutely packed. There are more people in this one store than Castiel thinks he's seen in the entirety of Diagon Alley. He looks around a bit, there are a lot of bring colors and loud noises, and then excuses himself to go sit on the bench out front. About twenty minutes later Gabriel and Anna come out of the shop. Gabriel has so many bags and boxes that Castiel can't even see him.

The three of them stumble back to the Leaky Cauldron. Castiel helps Gabriel with his bags, but Anna doesn't. She says it's his own fault.

 

Gabriel says it's no wonder she didn't make Prefect.

 

Then she stomps away, leaving the two brothers to trudge back alone.

 

Castiel sighs and readjusts a bag. "What did you do that for?"

 

"Do what?" Gabriel asks, confused.

 

"Make her mad! She probably would have helped if you had asked _nicely_. And what all did you get anyway? These are really heavy."

 

"Don't worry about it." Says Gabriel.

 

"Just don't get suspended." Castiel says wearily.

 

Gabriel snorts. "I know what I'm doing."

 

"You're gonna get suspended."

 

"Whatever."


	3. Chapter 3

A few days later finds the siblings at King's Cross, pushing carts loaded high with trunks and bags and an owl apiece. They push their way through the station towards platforms nine and ten.

  
"Okay." Anna says to Castiel. "You just walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten, alright? Gabriel, you go first so he can see."

  
Gabriel rolls his eyes, muttering about bossy sisters, but he takes off at a brisk trot. He gets closer and closer and then- he vanishes. Into thin air. Castiel blinks.

  
"Okay, now you go." Anna says. "It's not hard."

  
Castiel swallows and starts to push his cart forward. His heart is hammering in his chest because the barrier looks _really_ solid. He grits his teeth and pushes forward into a run so that he's going too fast to stop now, even if he wanted. At the last second he closes his eyes out of reflex. He doesn't crash. He sails smoothly through the barrier and straight into Gabriel.

  
"Ow!" Says his brother, picking himself up off of the floor. "Watch it, assface!"

  
He's about to retaliate when Anna comes gliding gracefully through the barrier. She gives them a look.

  
When Castiel finally looks away from his siblings he finds a scarlet steam engine waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead says Hogwarts Express, eleven o' clock. Smoke from the engine fills the air, obscuring the ceiling. Cats dart quickly between the legs of the crowd, all different sizes and shapes. Owls hoot and coo over the din.

  
Anna pats Castiel on the shoulder. "I'm going to go meet some friends, I'll see you guys later!" She waves and pushes her cart off.

  
Castiel sighs, missing her soothing presence. He turns to Gabriel. "So, where do we sit?"

  
"Not "we", bro. I gotta see a man about some giant spider eggs, but you can probably find an empty compartment at the end."

  
"Some _what_?!" Castiel yells, but his brother is already loping off into the crowd.

  
Castiel frowns. He's frustrated that his siblings have just gone off and left him like this.

  
He starts off down the platform to look for an empty seat, feeling abandoned. Most of the compartments up front are all full, but finally he finds one toward the back of the train that's completely empty. He puts Athena in the compartment, and then begins the struggle that is getting his trunk inside. It's very heavy and it takes a good fifteen minutes for him to get it in, pushing and then pulling. By the time he's done he's sweaty and out of breath. He collapses on a seat to catch his breath. A minute later, the train begins to move. Slowly at first, but he can feel it picking up speed. At first he can just see the station out the window, and then suddenly there the backs of building, old and gray. The sky is bright, though, and full of clouds and Castiel smiles to himself because he never thought he'd get here.

  
About that time, the compartment door opens. In comes a boy who looks to be about Castiel's age. He's got dark blond hair, green eyes, and a face full of freckles. He's wearing an AC/DC t-shirt that's a little too big.

  
"Um, hi." Says the boy. He doesn't have an accent.

  
Castiel sits up. "Hello!" He says.

  
"Can I sit here? Everywhere else is full."

  
Castiel nods. The boy smiles and goes back into the corridor to get his trunk. He drags it in and pushes it into the corner with a groan. He then takes up residence in the seat opposite Castiel's.

  
"I'm Dean!" He says. "It's my first year."

  
"Mine too! I'm Castiel."

  
"Oh, are you American?" Dean wonders.

  
Castiel nods. "Are you?"

  
"Yeah, but we've moved to Wigtown and we're gonna live there 'till me and Sammy are done with school. So mom and dad can be close by."

  
Castiel nods understandingly. "Is that a wizard town?" He wonders. And- "Who's Sammy?"

  
"Yeah! There's magic all over the place!" Dean says excitedly. "People just do it in public! And Sammy's my little brother. He's only seven, so it'll be a little bit before he comes." He smiles. "What about you?"

  
"What about me?"

  
"Where do you live? And do you have brothers and sisters?"

  
"Oh, um, I'm from Missouri. Not a magic town, though, just a regular one. It's pretty lame. No one does any magic at all, we don't even do it in the house."

  
Dean's eyes widen. "None at _all_?"

  
"Nope." Castiel assures him. "Not on purpose. We're not supposed to. I have a big sister, her name is Anna. She's in her last year! And I have a brother, Gabriel. He's thirteen. They both just left me on the platform by myself, those assbutts."

  
Dean snorts a laugh. "Assbutts." He mutters. Once he's stopped laughing he asks. "Don't your parents do magic?"

  
"Mom doesn't really do magic anymore. It kinda... makes her sad. I don't know why."

  
"What about your dad?"

  
Castiel shrugs. "I've never met him. He left before I was born."

  
"Oh." Says Dean, and he looks away out the window.

  
"I like your shirt." Castiel says after a while.

  
Dean looks back at him, down at his shirt, then back up to Castiel, smiling. "You like AC/DC?"

  
"Oh, yes."

  
This earns him an even bigger smile from Dean. "Good." He says. "I don't think we could be friends if you didn't."

  
Castiel smiles back at him. Friends. Did Dean just say that they were friends? This is the easiest it has ever been to make one.

  
"What house do you think you'll get?" Castiel wonders.

  
Dean frowns and shrugs. "Mom was in Hufflepuff, but Dad was in Gryffindor. I'm not smart enough to be Ravenclaw and I'm not slimy enough for Slytherin, but I'm not really brave either." He looks down at his feet. "So I don't know."

  
"Are you just and loyal?" Castiel asks.

  
Dean lifts an eyebrow at him.

  
"Hufflepuffs are just and loyal." Castiel clarifies.

  
"Oh." Says Dean. He sighs. "I know Mom was in Hufflepuff, and she's great but..." he picks at his thumb nail nervously. "Everybody makes fun of Hufflepuffs."

  
Castiel shrugs. "Everybody makes fun of Gryffindores, they're just a bunch of show offs. And Slytherins are jerks. And Ravenclaws are all stuck up."  
Dean squints. "I don't think those things are true." He says.

  
Castiel grins. "No. They're not. My sister is in Gryffindor, and she's nice. And my brother is in Slytherin. He's... well, he's kind of a jerk, but he's not bad. What I mean is... don't worry about it." He reaches across the space between them to pat Dean on the knee. "You'll go somewhere good."

  
Dean laughs. "That _almost_ made sense." He says.

 

*

About half past twelve there's a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling old woman slides back their door and says, "Anything off the cart, dears?"

  
Castiel hops up and goes int the corridor. He's got a little money to spend. Not much, but enough. He buys two Chocolate Frogs and a Cauldron Cake off of the cart and slips back inside where Dean is still sitting down.

  
"My mom made pie!" He says excitedly, pulling two foil-wrapped pieces of pie from somewhere in his coat that Castiel isn't going to think too much about. "It's apple!"

  
"Why did your mom give you two pieces?" Castiel asks.

  
"In case I made friends, I think." Dean confesses. "I _was_ just going to eat both myself, but you can have one!"

  
"Oh, are you sure?"

  
Dean nods vehemently. "My mom makes the _best_ pie!" He gives the second piece to Castiel, who frowns.

  
"I don't have a fork." He says.

  
"I have some!" Dean says, pulling a handful of plastic forks out of his pants pocket.

  
"What do you need all those for?" Castiel asks.

  
Dean shrugs. "In case of emergency."

  
"Alright." Says Castiel.

  
It is, indeed, the best pie Castiel has ever had. It's gooey in all the places it ought to be, and crunchy where it should be, it's sweet and cinnamony and perfect. He tells Dean and the boy beams.

  
"She's gonna teach me how to make pie this summer, she promised."

  
Afterward Castiel gives Dean half his Cauldron Cake and one of his Chocolate Frogs.

  
"Ugh. I got Merlin again." Dean grumbles when he sees the card from his Chocolate Frog. "I've got like ten of him. What'd you get?"

  
"The Headmaster!" Castiel says excitedly. He's never actually seen what the man looks like.

  
On the card is an older man with a lined face and a balding head of brown hair. He's grimacing out at Castiel, who turns the card over and reads:

 

_______

ROBERT SINGER  
Currently Headmaster of Hogwarts

 

 

In his youth Robert Singer was considered an incredibly talented Auror. He joined the Ministry of Magic's Auror Division at just nineteen years old and went on to become Head Auror in just a few short years. He has since retired.  
He has also been known to wrangle dragons, take down trolls, and tame all sorts of wild beasts.

 

_______

When he turns the card over he sees that Robert Singer has walked off. He holds the card out to Dean. "Want it?"

  
"Do you not collect 'em?" Dean asks curiously.

  
"No."

  
"Yeah, okay. Thanks!"

  
Castiel grasps his Chocolate Frog firmly and bites off the head. "Mom says they'll clutter the house." He says around his mouthful. "D'you collect 'em?"

  
Dean, who has been watching in awe as Castiel chews while talking, (a messy, impressive feat) visibly shakes himself. "Yeah!" He says. "I've got most of them. I've got Agrippa and Dumbledore and Ptolemy and Potter. I don't have Sabrina though."

  
"Sabrina?"

  
"Y'know, Sabrina the Teenage Witch."

  
"She was a real witch?"

  
"Uh, duh, dude!" Dean says, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "If I ever find her card I'll show you."

  
Just then, the door slides open. A girl with bright red hair and a Lord of the Rings t-shirt stands in the doorway.

  
"Hi!" She waves. "Um, have you seen my cat?"

  
"I don't think so." Says Castiel. "What does it look like?"

  
"She's black, and very small. Her name is Doctor Watson."

  
"I don't think we've seen any cats named Doctor Watson." Says Dean.

  
"Oh. Okay. Well, thanks anyway." And she's gone.

  
"Huh." Says Dean. Then he turns back to Castiel. "So, do you know any spells?"

  
Castiel shakes his head. "Do you?"

  
Dean leans forward conspiratorially. "I've seen my parents do some. I think maybe I can do some."

  
"Yeah?"  
Dean nods. He pulls his wand out of his back pocket. "Okay, my mom turns lights on and off with one. I think it's, um, _Ele-_ no, _Ala- something._ _Alahamora_? I think that's it." He points his wand at the light on the ceiling and says, " _Alahamora._ " The light explodes, showering the two of them in glass. Castiel shrieks and covers his head with his arms.

  
"I don't think that was it." He tells Dean.

  
Dean scowls at him. "Gee, thanks Sherlock."

  
They hear heavy footsteps along the corridor and Dean quickly stows his wand just as a tall older boy comes into view. He opens the compartment door and looks around. "What happened?"

  
"The light exploded." Says Castiel.

  
"I see that." Says the boy. "Why did it explode?" He looks over to Dean, who's face is blank, then back to Castiel, who shrugs.

  
The boy sighs. "Fine." He says, pulling out his wand. He points it at the broken pieces of glass on the ground and says something under his breath. The pieces fly back together on the ceiling, the light comes back on.

  
Castiel watches raptly, mouth hanging open. Magic is wonderful.

  
The boy gives both of them a look and stalks out, closing the door behind him.

  
They both let out a breath of relief.

  
"Thanks for not ratting me out, dude." Dean says.

  
"Of course." Castiel says. "What are friends for?" The last bit is a bit of a leap for him. He's not completely sure they're friends yet, and he's a little worried. Dean just gives him a wide smile.

  
Just then, the redheaded girl comes back. She's got a small black kitten curled up in her arms.

  
"Can I sit with you guys?" She asks. "I was sitting somewhere else but they- but I don't want to anymore."

  
Dean and Castiel both nod and she slips in, taking a seat on Dean's side.

  
"I'm Charlie." She tells them.

  
"I'm Dean."

  
"Hi, I'm Castiel."

  
"This," Charlie hold up the kitten. "is Doctor Watson." Doctor Watson blinks at them.

  
"Aww." Says Castiel, getting up to come over and pet the cat. He has a soft spot for cats, really. Her fur is soft and smooth. Castiel smiles at Charlie. "I like her." He declares.

  
She smiles back. "She likes you too! She usually runs away when people try to pet her."

  
This bit of information makes Castiel swell a little with pride. He looks over toward Dean, to find the boy watching warily, pressed up against the window. "I don't like cats." He mumbles.

  
Castiel shakes his head, confused as to how anyone could not like cats.

  
There's an odd silence for a few minutes, before Castiel brings up Charlie's shirt and the three of them enter a rousing conversation about Orcs and Balrogs and Lord Sauron. They have a lot to talk about, it turns out both Charlie and Dean both have a love of the series that rivals his own.

  
He smiles to himself as a heavy sense of belonging washes over him.

  
Eventually the topic changes to Quidditch and Dean is asking him, "What's your team?"

  
"Well," Says Castiel. "I really like the Vrasta Vultures. But I have a second cousin who plays Keeper for the Sweetwater All-Stars, so I think I'm supposed to be for them."

  
"No way!" Dean exclaims. "Norman Micheals is your cousin?"

  
Castiel nods, feeling a little shy suddenly.

  
Dean laughs. "Cool! Maybe you can get me his autograph sometime."

  
"Yeah, okay!" Says Castiel. "What's your favorite team?"

  
"The Fitchburg Finches, of course!" Dean says, sitting up straight. "Me and Dad and Sammy have gone to every Finches in the past two years!"

  
"Wow." Says Castiel, suitably impressed. He turn to Charlie then, not wanting to leave her out of this new conversation. "What about you?"

  
Strangely, she blushes and looks at the floor. "Oh, I dunno." She mumbles.

  
"Oh." Castiel says confusedly. "Um, alright. That's okay. My mom isn't much into it either."

  
Charlie looks up then, and then quickly away to her cat.

  
"Are you okay?" Dean wonders.

  
Charlie nods tightly.

  
Dean looks like he's just about to pry further when the door slides open once again. This time, it's Anna, already wearing her long black robes. "Oh, _there_ you are." She sighs. "I was starting to worry you hadn't gotten on the train at all!"

  
"Hi, Anna." Castiel greets her.

  
She plows on. "We'll be there in about ten minutes, I've just come to tell you that you should go ahead and get dressed."

  
"Oh, okay! Thanks, Anna."

  
Anna smiles at him. "See you later." She waves, and leaves.

  
"Who was that?" Dean asks.

  
"That was my sister, Anna." Castiel says, opening his trunk and pulling out one of his sets of robes.

  
"Oh!" Charlie says suddenly. "I'd, um, I'd better go." And she scurries out the door."

  
Dean and Castiel both stare after her.

  
"Was it just me or did that get a bit weird toward the end?" Dean wonders as he dresses.

  
"It definitely seemed like something was bothering her."

  
"I wonder what was wrong."

  
Castiel shrugs as he does up the front of the robes. "How do I look?" He asks, turning to face Dean.

  
Dean gives him a quick once-over. "Very dashing." He declares. "How about me?"

  
Castiel thinks for a minute. "You look very scholarly." Dean frowns. "And roguishly handsome." Castiel amends.

  
Dean laughs. "Nice save."

  
A voice echoes through the train: "We will be reaches Hogwarts in fives minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to school separately."

  
Castiel swallows nervously, beside him Dean is looking pale under his freckles. They make their way out into the crowded corridor.

  
The train slows and finally stops. People push their way to the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Then a lamp comes bobbing over the heads of the students and a deep voice says, "First years! First years, this way!"

  
It's a tall, dark man. "Come on, follow me. Any more first years? Watch your step! Follow me!"

  
Slipping and stumbling, they follow the man down what seems to be a steep, narrow path. It's so dark on either side of them that Castiel thinks there must be thick trees here. Nobody speaks much, but Charlie, who has come up beside Castiel at some point, sniffs once or twice.

  
"You'll have your first sight of Hogwarts in a moment." The man calls over his shoulder. "It's just around the corner."

  
There is a loud "Oooooh!"

  
The narrow path opens suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, is a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

  
"No more than four to a boat." Growls the man, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Castiel, Dean, and Charlie share a boat with a frightened looking blonde girl.

  
"Everyone in?" The man asks, he has a boat all to himself. "Well then - FORWARD!"

  
The fleet of little boats moves all at once, gliding across the lake, which is as smooth as glass. Everyone is silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towers over them as they sail nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stands.

  
"Heads down!" The man yells as the first boats reach the cliff; they all bend their heads and the little boats carry them through a curtain of ivy that hides a wide opening in the cliff face. They're carried along a dark tunnel, which seems to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reach a kind of underground harbor, where they clamor out onto rocks and pebbles.

  
Then they climb up a passageway in the rock after the man's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.  
They walk up a flight of stone steps and crowd around the thick, oak front door.

  
"Everyone here? Good."

  
The man raises his fist and knocks three times on the castle door.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obviously, a lot of this chapter is quite a bit like the first book. The sorting Hat's song and the Hogwarts song are straight from the book. As we get further into the story, i'll deviate more from the book, I just wanted to make sure I got the sorting and opening ceremonies right :P
> 
> Feel free to tell me if you spot any mistakes.

The door swings open at once, creaking loudly. A tall, dark haired witch in dark blue robes stands there. She has a stern face, but there are laugh lines around her mouth too.

  
"The first years, Professor Harvelle." Says the man.

  
"Thank you, Rufus. I will take it from here."

  
She opens the door wide and beckons them in. The entrance hall is enormous, bigger than the entirety of the Novak house. The stone walls are lit with flaming torches, the ceiling is too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them leads to the upper floors.

  
They follow Professor Harvelle across the flagged stone floor. Castiel can hear the drone of a hundred voices from a doorway to their right -the rest of the school must already be here- but Professor Harvelle shows the first years into a small, empty chamber off of the hall. They crowd in, standing closer together than they usually would have done, and peering around nervously. Castiel is right next to Dean though, and it makes him feel a little better to have a friend so close.

  
"Welcome to Hogwarts." Says Professor Harvelle. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before yo take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is very important because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.  
"The four houses are called Gryffindore, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose your house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cul, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.  
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the entire school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you're waiting."

  
Her gaze sweeps over them, landing on a girl's crooked bow, someone's smudged glasses. Castiel frantically pats his hair to try and get it to lay flat.

  
"I will return when we are ready for you." Says Professor Harvelle. "Please wait quietly."

  
She leaves the chamber. Castiel swallows.

  
"How do they sort us, anyway?" Charlie asks, appearing from nowhere.

  
Dean shrugs, and they both turn to Castiel.

  
"Well, um, my brother says it's some sort of test, but I'm not really sure if he's to be trusted."

  
"A test?" Says Charlie, her eyes are wide. "In front of everyone?" Dean, beside her, looks just as terrified.

  
"I'm sure it'll be fine." Castiel tells them. They look unconvinced.

  
And, really, he's not either. He has no idea what lies ahead. Anna never told him about the sorting. His insides quiver and squirm with nerves and he feels a little like throwing up.

  
Just then, someone behind him screams. Then several others. Soon, about half of them are screaming. Castiel puts his hands over his ears and looks around.  
About thirty ghosts are streaming unconcernedly through the back wall. They're pearly-white and slightly transparent, gliding across the room talking to each other and not giving the first years a second glance.

  
A fat little monk breaks off from the main body to greet them.

  
"Hello there!" He says jovially. "Such little things, aren't you? About to be sorted, are you? Oh, wonderful! Welcome, welcome! I do hope to see you in Hufflepuff! My old house, you know."

  
"Come along now." Says a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony is about to start."

  
Professor Harvelle has returned. She waves the ghosts away with a flick of her hand and they go without complaint, floating away through the opposite wall.

  
"Now form a line," Professor Harvelle tells the first years. "and follow me."

  
Castiel hurries to get into the line, feeling shaky and sick. Thankfully, Dean is on one side of him and Charlie is on the other, looking pale.

  
"Don't worry." He whispers to her. "I'm sure it's nothing hard."

  
Then professor Harvelle is leading them back out of the chamber, across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

  
The great hall is magnificent, wonderful. In his wildest dreams Castiel hadn't imagined what awaits them.

  
Thousands of candles are floating in midair over four long table, where the rest of the students are already sitting. The tables are laid with glittering gold plates and goblets. At the top of the hall is another long table where the teachers are sitting.

  
Professor Harvelle leads the first years up here, so that come to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring up at them curiously make Castiel's stomach clench and he's legitimately worried that if this isn't over soon he's going to lose his lunch. He sees his sister sitting tall at the Gryffindore table, and his brother whispering to a boy at the Slytherin table. He looks upward to avoid all of the probing eyes to see a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars.

  
"Wow." He breathes, and nudges Charlie beside him. "Look!" He whispers. "My mom said it's bewitched to look like the sky outside."

  
Charlie is looking up in awe, mouth hanging open. "It's amazing." She whispers back.

  
When Castiel looks back again Professor Harvelle is placing a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she sets a pointed wizard's hat. The hat is patched and frayed and extremely dirty, so worn that Castiel is surprised it's even staying together.

  
Most of the other first years, like himself, are looking at the hat with curious bafflement. The other students, though, are looking at it expectantly.  
For a long few seconds, there is silence, and then... the hat twitches. A rip near the rim opens slowly, growing until it's wide like a mouth - and the hat begins to sing:

  
_"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_  
 _But don't judge on what you see,_  
 _I'll eat myself if you can find_  
 _A smarter hat than me._  
 _You can keep your bowlers black,_  
 _Your top-hats sleek and tall,_  
 _For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_  
 _And I can cap them all._  
 _There's nothing hidden in your head_  
 _The Sorting Hat can't see,_  
 _So try me on and I will tell you_  
 _Where you ought to be._  
 _You might belong in Gryffindor,_  
 _Where dwell the brave at heart,_  
 _Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_  
 _Set Gryffindors apart;_  
 _You might belong in Hufflepuff,_  
 _Where they are just and loyal,_  
 _Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_  
 _And unafraid of toil;_  
 _Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_  
 _If you've a ready mind,_  
 _Where those of wit and learning,_  
 _Will always find their kind;_  
 _Or perhaps in Slytherin_  
 _You'll make your real friends,_  
 _Those cunning folk use any means_  
 _To achieve their ends._  
 _So put me on! Don't be afraid!_  
 _And don't get in a flap!_  
 _You're in safe hands (though I have none)_  
 _For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

The whole hall bursts into applause as the hat finishes its song. It bows to each of the four tables and then grows still again.

  
A hat. Just a hat. Castiel sighs in relief and casts a smile toward Dean, who grins back. He's still nervous, he doesn't like being in front of all these people, but a hat is much better than some sort of test.

  
When he looks back at Charlie,though, she's swallowing hard and looks to be near tears.

  
"What's wrong?" Castiel whispers.

  
She blinks erratically. "What if I put it on and it tells me to go home?" She asks. Her chin starts to quiver. "What if it's a mistake and I'm not really supposed to be here?"

  
Castiel can't really fault her for being worried, as it's a thought he's been entertaining himself. But he pushes that aside and pats her on the arm. "You got your letter, didn't you?" He whispers back.

  
She nods desperately.

  
"Then you're supposed to be here." He says, and nods reassuringly.

  
She takes a deep breath and lets it out, then gives him a small smile. "Okay."

  
He still feels sick and unsure himself though, he wiggles his fingers nervously where they're hidden in his robes.

  
Professor Harvelle steps forward holding a long roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she says. "Avernette, Nelson!"

  
A dark haired boy stumbles from the line and puts on the hat, which falls over his eyes, and sits down. There's a long moment and then -  
"GRYFFINDOR!" The hat shouts.

  
The Gryffindor table bursts into cheers and shouts. They whistle as Avernette, Nelson makes his way to their table, and clap him on the back.

  
"Bradbury, Charlie!" Is called next, and Charlie makes her way forward on trembling legs.

  
The hat barely has time to slip over her head before it's shouting "RAVENCLAW!"

  
When the hat comes off of her head, Charlie is beaming. She practically runs to the Ravenclaw table, where they receive her happily.

  
"Braedon, Lisa" and "Carter, Inias" Go to Hufflepuff while, "Grey, Balthazar" and "Knox, Alistair" go to Slytherin.

  
There are others, of course, but Castiel has a hard time keeping track. Finally, after what seems like an eternity, Professor Harvelle calls his name.  
"Novak, Castiel!"

  
He starts forward, tripping a bit over the edge of his robe. He doesn't look at the crowd before him, just pulls the hat over his head and sits down on the stool. He can hear the hat muttering, but can't make out what it's saying, and then all of a sudden it's shouting, "RAVENCLAW!"

  
He pulls the hat off of his head and sets it back on the stool before he goes to the Ravenclaw table. They're all clapping and smiling and Charlie even gives him a small hug when he sits down next to her. There's a part of him that's a little sad that he didn't get placed in one of his siblings' houses, but the rest of him is still so excited to just be here! And the Ravenclaws look nice, and he already has a friend in Charlie. Things will be okay, he thinks.

  
The sorting goes on for a long time until there aren't many first years left to sort at all. Dean is still up there, sort of hunched over, looking nervous. When they finally call, "Winchester, Dean." Dean looks incredibly relieved. The hat goes onto his head and thinks for a few long seconds before deciding, "HUFFLEPUFF!"

  
Castiel watches as Dean takes the hat off, he's tight lipped and he looks nervous. He walks slowly toward the Hufflepuff table, and only smiles when he's pulled into a massive group hug. He catches Castiel's eye and gives him a small wave, Castiel waves back.

  
After, "Zeddmore, Edward" becomes a Gryffindore, professor Harvelle rolls up her scroll and takes the Sorting Hat away. Robert Singer gets to his feet and stands, somewhat awkwardly, behind the thin podium that sits between to two teachers' tables. He clears his throat.

  
"Welcome to Hogwarts." He says gruffly. "Everybody, ah, enjoy the banquet." He clears his throat again, nods, and sits back down.

  
Castiel looks around at the table; everyone is excited, talking animatedly. When he looks back down the dishes on the table, empty until now, are piled with food. There's more food than he thinks he's ever seen in his life: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs.

  
Castiel piles his plate high, even though he knows he'll regret it later. A ghost drifts nearby and starts talking to one of the students, Castiel just hunkers down over his food and ignores it. He has no fondness for ghosts.

  
After the main course, the dishes clear and refill with desserts. Tubs of ice cream in all sorts of flavors, pies, treacle tarts, chocolate eclairs and donuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O, rice pudding.

  
Even though he already feels full to bursting, Castiel finds room for a donut or two. Across the room he watches Dean pile a plate with every kind of pie he can get his hands on.

  
As Castiel finishes his second donut, talk turns to their families.

  
" _My_ family is all wizards as far back as the records go." Says a girl named Bela. She flicks her hair behind her shoulder. "No breeding with _muggles._ "

  
Castiel notices several people at the table tense.

  
"Most of my family is wizards." A scrawny boy called Ash says around a spoonful of pudding. "But we've got a few muggle cousins and a great aunt who's a squib. She's real neat, has a reptile farm."

  
They go on, trading stories and family histories. At some point, someone nudges Castiel and asks, "What about you?"

  
"Oh," he says. "mom is a witch. And I never met my dad, so," he shrugs. "How 'bout you, Charlie?" He prompts, wanting to involve her in the conversation.

  
Her eyes go wide and she shoves an enormous bite of pie into her mouth, then shrugs.

  
Castiel frowns. That's... odd. Isn't it? He doesn't really know her very well, maybe this is normal behavior. He tries to put it out of his mind.

  
"Who are the teachers?" He asks an older boy.

  
The boy leans close. "That's the headmaster." He points to Robert Singer as if Castiel doesn't already know.  
"There's Professor Harvelle, she teaches Transfiguration. That's Professor Turner," It's the man who escorted the first years from the train, now lounging comfortably next to professor Harvelle. "he's Care of Magical Creatures. And that's Professor Barnes," a dark haired witch with cloudy eyes. "she teaches Divination. Um, let's see, there's Professor Galagher," a fairly plain looking wizard, gesturing wildly with a carrot. "he teaches Herbology. Oh, there's Professor Crowley," a short, dark haired man with unfriendly face. "he teaches potions. And there's Professor Campbell," a bald, aging man with a sharp nose. "he's the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. There are a few more, but it looks like they're not here yet." Says the boy.

  
"Thank you!" Says Castiel. He probably won't remember all of it, but he's sure he'll learn.

 

After a while, the desserts disappear and Professor Singer gets up again. Slowly, the hall falls silent. 

 

Professor Singer clears his throat. "Alright, now that everybody has eaten too much, I have a few start-of-term notices.

As always, the Forbidden forest is _off limits._ Can't believe I have t' keep tellin' you idjits."

 

Castiel sees Professor Harvelle frown at Professor Singer, but the headmaster keeps on.

 

"No magic should be used between classes in corridors.

Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should see Madam Tessa. However, the trials are not open to first years.

Also, the entire sixth floor is under construction, so be careful up there and for heaven's sake _don't go in the old broom closet_."

 

"Oh dear!" Says Castiel. "Is he serious?"

 

"Very!" Says a tall girl across the table. "Last year some students put a curse on the sixth floor broom closet and apparently its been spreading."

 

Castiel frowns. "Why would they put a curse on a closet?" He wonders.

 

He doesn't get his answer though, because Professor Singer is speaking again. 

 

"And now, yes, we sing the school song." He doesn't seem happy about it, but Professor Barnes is grinning widely. He gives a flick of his wand, and a long golden ribbon flies out of it. It rises high above the tables and twists itself, snakelike, into words.

 

"Everyone, pick your favorite tune." He says wearily. " And... here we go."

 

The whole school begins to sing, for lack of a better word.

 

" _Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_  


_Teach us something please,_

_Whether we be old and bald_

_Or young with scabby knees,_

_Our heads could do with filling_

_With some interesting stuff,_

_For now they're bare and full of air,_

_Dead flies and bits of fluff,_

_So teach us things worth knowing,_

_Bring back what we've forgot,_

_Just do your best, we'll do the rest,_

  
_And learn until our brains all rot._ "

 

Everyone finishes the song at different times, and some of the older students are dancing comically next to their tables. Beside Castiel, Charlie is laughing, looking happier than he's seen her so far.

 

"All right, all right." Professor Singer says. "Off to bed, with you!"

 

The Ravenclaw first years follow the tall boy, who finally introduces himself as Caleb, through the crowded hall. Castiel catches sight of Dean with the Hufflepuffs heading the opposite direction, he waves. Dean waves back.

 

The Ravenclaws move across the castle and up a tall spiraling staircase. At the top is a large wooden door with no nob or lock, in the middle sits a large bronze knocker in the shape of an eagle. When Caleb approaches, a voice squawks, " I can run but not walk. Wherever I go, thought follows close behind. What am I?"

 

Caleb rolls his eyes. "A nose." He says.

 

He turns to the other students as the door swings open. "Sometimes they'll be hard, sometimes they'll be stupidly easy. Just depends on how the door is feeling."

 

"How the _door_ is _feeling_?" Someone behind Castiel says confusedly.

 

The question is quickly forgotten though, as they pile into the Ravenclaw common room.

 

It's magnificent, a tall room with a ceiling made of glass to look out on the heavens. Bookshelves cover the walls, from floor to ceiling, holding every type of book Castiel can think of. Blue and silver curtains hang in front of enormous windows that look out across the grounds. Soft, overstuffed chairs are draped with fluffy blankets.

 

There's a girl's dormitory and a boy's dormitory, and Castiel bids Charlie goodnight before climbing the stairs to the boys'. He shares a room with Ash, a very small boy named Trent, and a harried looking boy named Kevin.

 

When all the lights are out, and Castiel is tucked snugly into his big bed with his soft sheets, he allows himself his happiness. Things have gone right. He's here, in Ravenclaw tower, at Hogwarts. Somehow, it feels like coming home.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, in case I didn't mention it before, this is going to be a series. I'm planning on doing a story for each one of their years at Hogwarts, and I plan for them to be pretty fluffy. The two of them probably wont get together for a little bit, since they're only eleven right now, but I don't plan for each story to be super long so I think it'll be okay.  
> Anyway I just thought you guys should know that :)

Waking up in such a starkly different place than his home is... odd. Not bad, though he is a little homesick.

  
He opens his eyes slowly, letting the cool morning light filter in bit by bit. The curtains hanging around his bed flutter softly. He wants to stay in bed all day, but his alarm clock is buzzing insistently and Ash is groaning at him to, "Turn that stupid thing off."

  
Castiel leans over to slap the _off_ button soundly, and then pulls himself slowly out of bed.

  
Kevin is already awake, sitting on top of his freshly made bed reading a large tome and chewing on a pen. When he sees that Castiel is awake he smiles at him, and says, "We got packages! They were on the beds this morning."

  
And sure enough, at the end of his bed is a box, wrapped in brown paper and tied with twine. Ash's is still on his bed too, because he isn't up yet.

  
Castiel rips the packaging off and opens the box to find: five pairs of blue and silver socks, a blue and silver scarf, and two blue and silver neckties.

  
"What's with all the blue and silver?" Castiel wonders.

  
Kevin gives him a disbelieving look. "They're our house colors." He says. "We're meant to wear the ties every day."

  
Castiel hums thoughtfully as he gets up to dress, trying to be quiet as to not wake Ash. He slips one of the ties on and tucks it neatly into his robes.

  
"I'm going to head down for breakfast." He tells the room, slipping his knapsack full of schoolbooks over his shoulder.

  
Kevin slides off of his bed. "I'll come too." He announces, and follows Castiel out the door and down the stairs.

  
In the morning light, the Ravenclaw common room is even more impressive than it was last night, and Castiel determines to look through those tall bookshelves the first chance he gets.

  
"Are you nervous?" He asks Kevin as they make their way through the corridors.

  
Kevin shakes his head. "No. I don't think I'll have much trouble with the first year courses. They seem a bit soft to me, personally."

  
Castiel gapes. "But you haven't even been to any of the classes yet! And I think we took a wrong turn!"

  
"No, no. This is right. See, there's the painting of the witch with the crooked nose, we passed it last night. And anyway, I've read the coarse books already and I think I'm prepared."

  
Castiel nearly drops his book bag. "What, _all of them_?!"

  
Kevin nods unconcernedly. "Didn't take as long as I thought it would."

  
They walk the rest of the way to the Great Hall in silence, Castiel worrying that he should have read the coursebooks and no one told him, Kevin presumably doing long division in his head for fun.

  
At the entrance, they meet a small group of Hufflepuffs. Dean is among them.

  
"Hi, Dean!" Castiel greets him brightly.

  
"Oh, hey Cas!" Dean says. "How was your night?"

  
"Good! Our door asks us riddles and our beds are _really_ big and I got this tie." He point to his tie.

  
"I got one too!" Dean exclaims, showing Castiel a yellow and black striped tie. "We don't have to answer riddles, which is good because I'm really bad at riddles. But we're right near the kitchen our beds are really big too." He smiles. "It's really nice here."

  
Castiel nods enthusiastically and follow their groups as they begin to move into the Great Hall. Once they get in, though, they split.

  
"Oh." Says Castiel. "Um, see you later then."

  
"Yeah!" Says Dean, waving. "See ya, Cas."

 

 

Breakfast is just as big an affair as the welcome banquet had been, with more kinds of food than Castiel can name. Halfway through his eggs and toast, Castiel is startled by a sudden stream of owls swooping into the hall. They're very loud, and they land on the tables in front of their owners, stealing bacon and knocking over cups of juice.

  
Castiel watches wistfully as other students get letters and packages from their owls. Then, unexpectedly, Athena lands heavily on his plate, completely ruining his food, but holding out her foot, which has a letter attached to it by a piece of brown twine.

  
Castiel unties the twine and gently removes the letter from Athena's foot. It's from his mother, written in her simple, scrunched handwriting.

 

_Castiel,_   
_I hope you arrived well. Write and tell me which house you've been sorted into. Did you pack enough socks?_   
_Love,_   
_Mother._

 

Castiel smiles and makes a mental note for himself to write her back when he gets a chance.

 

 

Charms is taught by a short-haired witch called Professor Mills. She's friendly, yet stern, and she talks to them all as if she's their mother. The Ravenclaws' first lesson is spent learning the pronunciation and wand movements for a levitating charm, but they don't actually attempt to levitate anything. They just chant, as one, "Wingardium Leviosa" over and over again, and she corrects them ("No, dear. It's Win _gar_ dium Levi _o_ sa.") until she feels that they've got it right. When class is over she cheerily tells them that they've done a good job, even though Castiel feels like he hasn't done anything. Kevin spends the rest of the day muttering _Wingardium Leviosa_ under his breath.

  
They have double potions with the first year Slytherins, taught by Professor Crowley, head of Slytherin house. Professor Crowley is snarky and sarcastic, but not overly mean.

The potions dungeon is damp and cool, it smells tangy and sharp, like roots and acid. Despite the less than ideal conditions of the classroom, Castiel finds his potions class fascinating. The first day Professor Crowley explains the need for a base in potion making and assigns them a chapter to read in their books.

  
They get double Defense Against the Dark Arts with the Gryffindores, a loud, obnoxious bunch. The Professer is a tall bald man called Campbell, who is head of the Gryffindore house and definitely favors them. Defense Against the Dark Arts is interesting as well, but a couple of Gryffindores behind him keep throwing balls of paper at the back of his and Kevin's heads. Castiel is about to retaliate but then Charlie, who is sitting on his other side, beats him to the punch. When Professor Campbell's back is turned she pelts them with her own paper balls while Kevin looks on, horrified, whispering nervously about being expelled within the first week.

  
Astronomy is held once a week at midnight, atop a thin tower that that stretches high into the clouds. The Ravenclaws set up their telescopes and peer curiously into the night sky. A tall, dark man named Uriel Latterly supervises them silently.

  
Herbology is, by far, the most relaxed of their subjects. It's taught by a professor named Andrew Gallagher, who insists that they call him "Andy" and always smells faintly of pungent smoke. He's very calm and laid back, and is also the head of Hufflepuff house. The Ravenclaws share their Herbology time with the Hufflepuffs, in fact, so that Castiel gets to see Dean. During Herbology they sit together, partnering on projects and helping each other identify plants.

  
History of Magic is incredibly boring, and taught by a twitchy, stuttering man named Chuck Shurley. He's thin, with mousy hair and permanent bags under his eyes. He also seems to be terrified of the students for no good reason.

  
Transfiguration is taught by Professor Harvelle. She's stern and, although not cruel, she is a bit terrifying. Their first lesson is turning a matchstick into a needle and no one succeeds, although Kevin comes close.

  
The Flying Lessons include all of the first years at once. Eleven-year-olds from all four houses gather together on the quidditch field to try out the ancient, broken down brooms.

  
Castiel, Charlie, and Kevin walk together to the field after having dropped their books back at Ravenclaw tower. Charlie and Kevin are both looking a bit pale and Charlie is twisting the corner of her robes nervously. Once they get to the field though, Castiel spies Dean.

  
He trots over.

  
"Hello, Dean!" He greets his friend.

  
"Hey, Cas!" Says Dean.

  
"Are you excited about flying?"

  
Dean purses his lips. "Not really, but apparently I can't get out of it."

  
"Why aren't you?" Castiel wonders.

  
Dean looks down and rubs the back of his neck. "Don't like heights." He mutters.

  
There's a snort from behind him, and Castiel turns to find a Gryffindore girl with a blond ponytail smirking derisively.

  
"You mean you're _scared_." She taunts. "Is the widdle baby Hufflepuff afwaid of heights." She says mockingly.

  
Dean goes scarlet and Castiel puts his hands on his hips. "Leave him alone!" He snaps.

  
The girl laughs. "What're you gonna do about it Ravenclaw? Throw a book at me?"

  
Castiel is not particularly aggressive or confrontational. Given the choice, he'll generally go for the non-violent option. But Dean is his friend, and this girl has no right to say the things she's saying.

  
And this is how, in his first week at Howarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Castiel punches a girl in the face.

 

 

They both end up in the hospital wing because, after a moment of stunned silence, the girl fights back. They end up rolling around on the ground until the flying teacher, a witch called Tessa Reichings, pulls them off of each other. She escorts them to the hospital wing angrily, muttering about how _it's_ _the first week, damn it_.

  
She leaves them with the nurse, Madam Missouri, and hurries back to her class.

  
Madam Missouri " _hrmph_ "s at them and says "Did your mamas never teach you kids manners?" But she doesn't seem legitimately angry.

  
Castiel knows he's going to get into trouble for this, but he can't help feeling a bit pleased with himself too. Sure, he has a split lip, but the girl has a bloody nose and the skin around her eye is rapidly turning a strange dark purple. And maybe he's not proud of fighting a girl, but she's taller than he is and she fights dirty. He eyes the reddening bite mark on his arm.

  
Missouri fixes them up no problem, but they both get a week's worth of detention and they have to miss the rest of the first flying lesson.

  
As they're leaving the hospital wing, Professor Harvelle comes sweeping toward them. Castiel is suddenly struck with panic, but it isn't him she descends upon, it's the girl.

  
"Joanna Beth!" She snaps. "What in hell's name are you thinking?! Fighting the first week of school? Are you out of your mind!?"

  
The girl ducks her head and mumbles.

  
"What was that?" Says Professor Harvelle.

  
The girl sighs. "I _said_ I don't know."

  
Professor Harvelle holds up a finger. "Don't you get smart with me, young lady!" She says.

  
Castiel feels like he's witnessing something very private here, and he slips away before they notice him.

  
He wanders down halls and corridors for a while, waiting for the flying class to get over. It's engaging, as the stairs move and the pictures change, he almost gets lost twice.  
About forty-five minute later he's wandering toward the great hall when the first years pile in the large front doors.

  
"Castiel!" He hears, right before his friends descend upon him.

  
Charlie and Kevin are there, of course, and Dean. Dean barrels into him, wrapping his arms tightly around Castiel and squeezing. When he pulls back, moments later, he's smiling. "Thanks." He says.

  
"Did you get in trouble?" Asks Kevin.

  
"That was _awesome_." Says Charlie.

  
"I got a week of detention, but so did she." Castiel answers.

  
Dean frowns. "Sorry, Cas."

  
Castiel shrugs. "'S okay." He says. "She deserved it."

  
And he finds that, surprisingly, it is. He's not worried. He has a week's worth of detention and he's unfrazzled. It's strange, and he can't quite pinpoint why it's not bothering him, but he thinks he likes it.

  
"Let's get supper!" Charlie says, ending the conversation.

  
The four of them walk into the great hall together, but they don't part. Dean follows Castiel and sits next to him at the Ravenclaw table. No one seems to mind, they just move over to make room for the Hufflepuff.

  
Dean smiles at Castiel while they eat, and then they go over their homework together and Castiel can't help but think that, yes, the detention is worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My tumblr is [here](http://frecklesandmisterblueeyes.tumblr.com/).


	6. Chapter 6

_Dear Mom,_   
_I've been sorted into Ravenclaw house. It's really neat, there are a lot of books. Yes, I packed plenty of socks._   
_I got detention for fighting with a student (they deserved it), so you'll probably be hearing about that soon. Don't worry about giving me a talking to, I've already had one._   
_Love,_   
_Castiel_

 

Castiel puts his pen down and frowns at the paper. He hopes it'll be enough to keep his mother from getting mad at him, but he knows it won't be. He blows a frustrated breath through his teeth as he folds the letter up and slips it into his pocket to deliver later. He stands, stretches, and makes his way of of his room and down the stairs to the common room. By the fire, Kevin is studying _A World History of Magic_ , and chewing on the end of his pen. Ash is doing something on his laptop, while a sixth year watches over his shoulder, looking impressed. Charlie and Bela are playing Wizard's Chess over by the window, and it looks like Bela is winning.

  
"I'll see you guys later." Castiel tells the room. He gets a smattering of waves and "Later, Cas"s, and he slips out the door and heads for detention.

 

 

For their punishment, Castiel and Joanna are organizing Professor Crowley's potion ingredients storage. It has apparently gotten a little out of hand, so they're putting it back together.

  
Castiel sets the third bottle of thick red goop on the shelf, in the spot marked "Applewart". It settles in with a soft _clink_. He sighs, feeling slightly guilty when he glances over at Joanna, who is re-labeling some old bottles. He should probably apologize, he knows. Now that the _heat of battle_ , as he likes to think of it, has worn off he he feels, yes, _slightly_ guilty.

  
"Joanna-" he starts.

  
"Jo." She interrupts.

  
"What?"

  
"It's just "Jo"." She reiterates tiredly, painstakingly re-writing _Cane Root_ on a label. "Mom is the only one who calls me Joanna."

  
"Oh. Right. Er, _Jo_. Um I just wanted to, ah, apologize. For hitting you."

  
Jo frowns and taps the pen against her knee. After a minute she huffs. "I probably shouldn't have made fun of your friend or whatever." She says reluctantly. But then, she looks up, eyes glinting, the corners of her mouth tilted upward. "I wasn't expecting you to hit me though. You've got a pretty good arm."

  
Castiel can't help it, pride fills his chest. He smiles. "Thanks."

  
"Yeah."

  
They spend a few minutes in a surprisingly companionable silence, then Jo  says, "So, did you hear the Hollyhead Harpies are replacing Nyla Woods with Carsinthia Lodensium?"

  
Castiel scrunches his nose, shaking a bottle of swirling blue liquid. "Are you serious? Why would they do that?"

  
"Um, maybe because Nyla is a _sow_."

  
"What? No, she's not! Nyla Woods has been on the team for _seven years_."

  
"Yeah, she's _ancient_." Jo scoffs.

  
"She's still the best keeper they've ever had!" Castiel says vehemently.

  
Jo rolls her eyes. "Oh, as _if_. She lets the quaffle through half of the time."

  
Castiel gapes. "No she does _not_. I haven't seen her let the quaffle through _once_ in all the Harpies games I've seen!"

  
"And how many _have_ you seen, bookworm?" She taunts.

  
"I've seen every one this season, assbutt!" Castiel spits.

  
Jo chokes. "Oh my god. Really? Can you not think of any other swears than that?"

  
Castiel feels his face go red.

  
Jo crosses her arms over her chest and says, "You could have used _asshat_ , _assface_ , _assdick_ , _dickcheese_..."

  
"You know a lot of swears." Castiel marvels.

  
Jo shrugs one shoulder nonchalantly, but she's clearly proud of how many swear words she knows.

 

Somehow, over the course of the next few hours, Jo and Castiel form a strange friendship, seemingly based on mutual insults and respect for each other's fighting ability.

 

 

Flying lessons, while not awful for Castiel, have continued to be a terrible experience for Dean. He gets nauseous and jittery and anxious before flying lessons, almost inevitably throwing up or descending into a panic so thorough that Miss Tessa sends him to nurse Missouri.

  
Castiel, Charlie, and Kevin try to help Dean, try to calm him down and assure him that there's nothing to be afraid of, to no avail. Jo even tries, but she's a little too mean and Castiel gets mad at her again.

  
Castiel picks over the dilemma in his mind the whole week, and that Saturday he has Dean meet him out at the pitch after lunch.

  
He's standing under the goals, the old broomstick that he "borrowed" from the broom shed clutched in his hands when he spies Dean rounding the castle. His friend has on muggle clothes, jeans and an AC/DC t shirt, and Castiel is glad that he decided to go with jeans and a faded tie dye shirt as well, instead of robes.

  
He waves to Dean, who waves back nervously as he approaches.

  
"Can we just leave it, Cas?" He asks quietly when he gets close. "I can't do it."

  
"You'll fail the class if you don't, Dean!" Castiel replies.

  
Dean shrugs. "Not like Hufflepuffs are known for straight A's anyway."

  
Castiel rolls his eyes. "That's an outdated stereotype, and it's just plain wrong. You're _very_ smart, Dean."

  
"That's not really the point, Cas."

  
"Then what's the point?"

  
"I _can't_ fly." Dean holds out his hands, palms up in frustration. "I just can't. It's not natural, okay? And I don't like it. And what if I fall? I just- I can't do it."

  
"Let me _try_ to help you. Please?"

  
Dean rubs his eyes with he heel of his hand. He looks tired. "Fine." He concedes. "Just this once."

  
Castiel smiles. "Okay."

  
He holds the broom out next to him. "Up." He says, and the broom buzzes to life. He gets on the broom and holds out his hand to Dean, who squints at him.

  
"What?" He wonders.  
Castiel rolls his eyes. "C'mon, I know how to do it, you don't need to be scared. Get on." He says.

  
Awkwardly, Dean does. He gets on the broom in front of Castiel, and Castiel leans forward to slip his arms around Dean's middle and grip the broom in front of him. Pressed close, Castiel feels that Dean is shaking.

  
"Don't worry, Dean." He says. "I'm not going to let you fall."

  
Dean nods tightly, eyes closed, but doesn't say anything.

  
They rise above the ground, five feet, ten, fifteen. Then Castiel takes them on a lazy ride around the pitch, slow and steady. After a while Dean opens his eyes, but he tenses up again and lets out a small whimper.

  
Castiel dips them a little closer to the ground and tightens his arms around his friend. "You're doing good!" He says.

  
They do this for a while, about a half an hour, until Dean can keep his eyes open and is no longer shaking like a leaf.

  
When they land, Castiel says, "That wasn't too bad, right?"

  
Dean surges forward and wraps his arms around Castiel. "Not too bad." He says into his shoulder. "Thanks."

  
Castiel smiles and returns the hug happily

 

The next time they have Flying Lessons, Dean does slightly better. He gets off the ground at least, and Miss Tessa gives him a pleased thumbs up.

 

 

Sunday morning, Dean sits at his house's table. Castiel is a little sad, he likes it when his friend sits with them, but it's okay because he's still got Charlie and Ash and Kevin.  
About halfway through breakfast, the owls come streaming in. Athena lands in Castiel's bowl of Frosted Flakes, spilling milk over the table and into her owner's lap. Once he's dried himself off, Castiel notices that Athena has a letter clutched in her beak. He takes it gently and, sure enough, it's from his mother. It's not a howler though, he notes as he takes in the stiff handwriting. Just a regular letter written on violet stationary that smells vaguely like his mother's powdery perfume.

  
She doesn't seem particularly angry, surprisingly. Just vaguely disappointed. It's just the general "don't do it again", and barely anything else. She's glad he's adjusting, Ravenclaw is a very respectable house, etc.

  
Castiel shrugs and stuffs the letter into his pocket, if she's not mad it doesn't seem to matter much.

 

 

After breakfast, they go down to the quidditch pitch. _They_ being: Castiel, Charlie, Ash, Kevin, Bela, Jo, Dean, and Dean's Hufflepuff friends Benny and Gilda.

  
They start an impromptu game, but they don't have enough players for seekers. On one almost-team Castiel is keeper while Charlie and Jo are beaters. On the other team Bela is keeper, Ash and Benny are beaters. They rise into the air on the rickety school brooms to swoop wobblingly around the pitch.

  
Kevin, Dean, and Gilda sit on the ground and watch their friends play. Well, Dean and Gilda watch, Kevin studies. Dean, while doing slightly better at flying, still doesn't do it unless he absolutely has to. Gilda isn't terribly fond of competitive sports, and Kevin... is Kevin.

  
When Castiel looks down at his friends, occasionally, he sees Kevin engrossed in his book while Dean and Gilda talk animatedly. He feels slightly jealous, watching Dean and Gilda, slightly worried that Dean will prefer Gilda as a friend. But he reminds himself that everybody has more than one friend.

  
Castiel's team wins, mostly because Charlie and Jo are savage, unrelenting beaters. It might have gone differently if the teams had had seekers, and they decide to try and get more people next time.

  
When they land, Gilda and Dean present the winning team with daisy crows that they've been making, Castiel grins happily when Dean places one of the crowns gently on his head.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a short chapter, I know, but I wanted to get SOMETHING up and I've been really busy lately. I'm actually getting married THIS Friday, so that's pretty weird. Anyway, I haven't forgotten about this or anything, just had some stuff going on.

The first time Castiel sees the inside of another common room, it's Gryffindore. Anna tells them that she got a package from mom the day before, that she's supposed to split with them. So they follow her up after dinner, up winding staircases and down halls until they reach a large painting of a fat lady. Anna says "Gillyweed" to the painting, and it swings forward to reveal a door into Gryffindore tower.

  
It's warm there, and loud. The room is bustling. Gabriel saunters right on in after her and sits down next to Micheal Wysle, to throw his arm around him. Castiel is a bit slower, but then he spot Jo and decides to go sit by her.

  
She's in the window seat and when Castiel plops himself down beside her she looks up, surprised.

  
"Hey, Cas!" She says. "What are you doing here?"

  
"I'm with my sister." He explains, pointing at Anna, who is slipping up the stairs to her room to get the package.

  
"Oh!" Jo says, comprehension dawning on her face. " _Oh_! Anna is your sister! Of course!"

  
"What are you working on?" Castiel asks, nodding to her homework, spread in her lap.

  
"Herbology." She sighs. "And I can't for the life of me remember the difference between carpsroot and whisleroot."

  
Castiel thinks, tapping his finger on his chin. "Whisleroot is found primarily in bogs, while carpsroot is generally in woodlands. Whisleroot is earthy, it's good in teas for cooling fever and headaches. Carpsroot is usually ground up and used in potions as a stabilizer."

  
Jo stares at him, mouth agape. "You're an encyclopedia." She says.

  
Castiel shrugs. "Dean helps me with Herbology, he's much better at it than I am."

  
"Dean?" Jo says incredulously. "But he's a _Hufflepuff_."

  
Castiel frowns. "He's very smart!" He snaps, angry that Jo thinks anyone's intelligence is depended by their house.

  
"Alright, fine." Jo says, putting up her hands in surrender. "I didn't realize you were his friggin guard dog."

  
Castiel frowns more. "Dean is my friend, and I'm not going to just sit here while you talk bad about him!"

  
Jo rolls her eyes. "I wasn't "talking bad" about him, geez, calm down."

  
Castiel huffs, ready to yell at Jo again, but just then Anna comes back downstairs and waves him over.

  
"This conversations is not over." He tells Jo, who gives him the finger.

  
Turns out, the package is candy, mostly chocolate. Gabriel grabs most of it before Anna can stop him and runs away cackling. Anna sighs.  
"Well, I suppose we can split what's left." She says wearily.

 

 

 

Castiel ends up sharing his candy with Dean, sitting at the edge of the big lake.

  
"Thanks, Cas!" Dean says through a mouthful of Snickers. "I love these!"

  
Castiel laughs. "I can see that."

  
Dean sighs contentedly. "You know what I miss most about home? Pie."

  
"They have pie here, Dean."

  
"Well yeah." Dean concedes. "But it's not _my mom's_ pie. She makes the best pie ever." He stares at the lake with a glazed expression until Castiel shoves his shoulder.  
"You like pie, right Cas?" Dean asks.

  
"Oh, yes I suppose so." Castiel replies. "I don't eat a lot though. When you shared yours with me on the train it was the first time I'd had pie in, oh, a few years probably."

  
Dean drops the second candy bar that he'd been unwrapping. "A _few years_?!" He asks incredulously.

  
Castiel shrugs. "It's just pie." He says.

  
Dean blinks, then he pulls an offended face. "Just pie? _Just. Pie?_ Wow. Okay, I'm sorry, I didn't realize I'd made friends with a robot."

  
Castiel rolls his eyes. "Dean-"

  
"No, no." Dean interrupts. "I don't need to hear any more of your crazy robot ideas!"

  
Castiel knows Dean is teasing, but he still feels the need to defend himself. Dean, though, isn't having any of it, and this goes on for a long while until Castiel finally tackles Dean and tickles his sides until Dean screams that he's going to pee.

  
They stay sitting on the grassy bank until it gets dark, watching the turning leaves flutter in the wind, and Castiel thinks he's never had as good a friend as Dean before. Even though he hasn't known the other boy for very long, their friendship seems better, deeper, than any others he's had before.

 

 

 

Castiel starts when someone sits in the unoccupied seat on his right during Potions. When he turns he sees it's a girl. She's got black, chin length hair, it's a little wavy. She's wearing Slytherin robes and a frustrated scowl. She drops her potions books on the table while Castiel and Charlie - sitting on his left - watch confusedly. When she finally looks up and finds them staring she snaps, "What?! Somebody took my normal seat." and gestures angrily to where, sure enough, Bela is sitting next to a Slytherin boy, gesturing animatedly.

  
"Alright." Says Castiel.

  
Charlie just shrugs.

  
Castiel loses himself in Potions, in the science of it. It just makes so much sense to him; how each ingredient, each different heat, each stirring method produces a certain effect but, put together, they can create something entirely new. He smiles to himself as his Stomach Settling Potion, bubbling happily in his cauldron, turns a deep navy and begins to give off a distinct cedar smell. On either side of him, the girls are having trouble. Charlie's potion is a thick bubbling red and the Slytherin girl's is spewing white smoke.

  
"God, how do you _do_ that?" Charlie asks, wiping sweat from her brow.

  
"Seriously." Says the Slytherin girl. "I did everything it says on the board! Why doesn't mine look like that?"

  
Castiel looks at the Slytherin's potion. At the acrid smoke and the odd, thin texture. He thinks.

  
"Stir it once more clockwise and twice counterclockwise, and add another half of a Ichor Worm." He advises.

  
The girl looks at him suspiciously, but then does as he says. Minutes later her potion is thickening and darkening.

  
"Huh." She says, sitting back. When she looks at him again her gaze is calculating. "What did you say your name was?"

  
"Castiel." He tells her.

  
She sticks her hand over her cauldron. "I'm Meg."

  
He shakes her hand, then turns to help Charlie, who seems to have somehow put about two cups too much Yellow Root powder into her potion. There's no saving it, but her walks her through neutralizing some of the powder with eel oil. He's so invested that he doesn't notice Professor Crowley come to the end of their table. Only when Charlie's potion has eased to a light blue does Professor Crowley speak.

  
"That's impressive." He says.

  
Castiel spins, startled, knocking his entire bottle of eel oil into his own cauldron. His potion is still for a moment, two, then suddenly it turns a sickly yellow and begins emitting a foul stench, like rotting eggs.

  
The three students spring from their seats and flee to the isle to get away from the horrible smell. Professor Crowley holds a robe sleeve to his nose as he waves his wand to get rid of the mess.

  
The smell lingers even after the bubbling disaster is gone, but the three of them still go back to their bench. Castiel eyes his empty cauldron sadly, he doesn't have time to remake the potion.

  
When class comes to a close, Meg hops up. She waves and says, "See ya, Clarence."

  
Castiel frowns. "That's not my name." He says, but she's already gone. He and Charlie back their books and pick up their cauldrons and supplies, but before they can leave, the professor calls out.

  
"Castiel." He says. "Stay for a moment, I'd like to talk to you."

  
Charlie gives him a worried look, but Castiel just gives her a reassuring smile. "I'll catch up with you." He tells her.

  
"Well, don't be late for History." She says, and turns to go.

  
Castiel walks back to the front of the room, books and supplies tucked into his cauldron, balanced on his hip. He stands in front of Professor Crowley's desk and silently waits for the man to speak.  
Crowley leans forward and steeples his fingers. "You're talented, Castiel." He says finally. "You have a natural affinity for potions, the likes of which I haven't seen in... a long time. It makes makes me very happy to see a student flourishing in my class. Do you have any idea what you want to do when you finish school?"

  
Castiel frowns. "It's only my first year, Professor."

  
Crowley laughs and holds his hands up. "Of course, of course, I'm sure you haven't thought of it yet. But listen, once you start thinking about your future, I'd like for you to come speak with me. If this penchant for potions continues, you'd do well to cultivate it."

  
"Uh, okay." Castiel says. "Um, can I go? I'm going to be late for history."

  
"Yes, yes, run along." Crowley says, flicking his hand dismissively. "Oh!" He calls after Castiel. "I'm still giving you full marks for your Stomach Settling Potion, by the way. It was practically perfect before the mishap with the eel oil."

  
Castiel stops. "Thanks you!" He says, surprised.

  
Crowley just gives him a nod and bends back over his desk.

 

 

 

"What did Crowley want?" Charlie asks when Castiel sits down next to her in World History of Magic.

  
"He gave me full marks for my potion even though it got ruined." Castiel tells her. "And he said I have a "natural affinity" for potions."

  
When he looks at Charlie again her mouth is hanging open. "He _said that_ to you?" She wonders in awe.

  
"... yeah." Castiel answers, confused.

  
"Dude." She continues. "He doesn't compliment, like, anybody. I heard he still makes _seventh_ _years_ cry, like, routinely. You must be really good."

  
Castiel shrugs. He's not _that_ good, not really. He can't be very much better than anyone else.

  
He's spared having to talk about it any more when Professor Shurley comes stumbling in the door, late as usual.


	8. Chapter 8

Fall comes swiftly, blowing the changing leaves from the trees and across the grounds. Castiel finally gets to use his blue and silver scarf, he wraps it snugly around his neck and tucks the ends into his robes. The chill doesn't stop him from from outdoor activities, though, he still goes out to the pitch on weekend nights to fly around on the shitty school brooms with his friends. Some Slytherins have joined their little quidditch games as well, much to Jo's dismay. Meg, whom Castiel has been helping with potions, and her friend Balthazar, who goes by "Baz", also come now. Meg is fast flyer, small and light, and she zips around the field like a bird, dipping and spinning. Balthazar prefers to stay on the ground, because he, "Doesn't want to mess up the hair." Instead he sits with Gilda and Dean (Kevin has stopped coming out, complaining of the cold), sipping on hot chocolate and trying to stay warm. Sometimes they can't play, because the actual house teams have to practice, but when that happens they sit in the stands and watch.

  
Gabriel is a beater for the Slytherin team. He's pretty good, but he'd be better if he spent less time mooning over the Slytherin keeper, a girl from his year named Kali. She's very pretty, she has dark hair and olive skin and doesn't seem to want anything to do with Gabriel. He doesn't seem to mind, though. She frowns at Gabriel a lot, and he smiles back, but he doesn't seem to ever actually _talk_ to her, he just watches her a lot and does stupid things to try and get her attention.

  
The rest of the Slytherin team is good, they're fast and ruthless. Ravenclaw's team is actually not very good at the moment, as a lot of the team members have forgone practicing to study, especially as some of them are taking their O.W.L.s this year.

  
Gryffindore's team is about tied with Slytherin. They have a better seeker, but the Slytherin beaters are a force to be reckoned with.

  
The Hufflepuff team is average, better than Ravenclaw but not quite as good as the others. Castiel has a feeling that that might change in the next couple of years though, because Benny, it seems, is a pretty amazing keeper.

  
They've just finished a little game, and they're all cold and tired, but happy. Dean comes to walk next to Castiel and Charlie as they make their way back up to the castle.

  
"Do you think you'll try out for the team next year?" He asks them.

  
"Oh, yeah!" Says Charlie. "I'll probably try out for seeker, or maybe beater."

  
"Maybe." Says Castiel. "I like playing keeper."

  
Dean nods. He's gotten a little better with his fear of flying, but he still won't do it unless he has to. He at least passed the flying class though, and that's something.  
Jo trots up then, and throws her arm around Dean's shoulder. They've been getting along better, recently. Dean is even helping Jo with her Herbology homework.

  
"Hey guys." She says, ruffling Dean's hair. He scowls and slaps ineffectually at her hand.

  
"Hey Jo." Castiel and Charlie chorus.

  
"You know, I didn't know about the Slytherins, but Meg can really fly, she's okay." She says.

  
Charlie nods. "She's pretty cool."

  
Dean frowns, and glances back to where Meg is walking with Balthazar, but says nothing.

 

 

 

Dean and Castiel stand huddled together in the greenhouse during Herbology. Castiel frowns at the plant he's been tending to for the last four weeks, it's a sad comparison to Dean's, which is flourishing.

  
"I don't understand." He sighs. "I've done everything the book says."

  
He looks at Dean, who says, "Be nicer to it."

  
"What?" Castiel wonders.

  
"You're too cold."

  
Castiel stares. "It's a plant." He says.

  
Dean shrugs. "I just know that mine is doing better than yours, and I've been nicer." He says.

  
Castiel frowns. "Fine. What do you do?"

  
"I sing to it sometimes." Dean says quietly. "And I pet it, like this." He strokes the plant's leaves gently. Surprisingly, the leaves ripple under his touch and Castiel hears a very faint humming.

  
When Professor Ghallager comes by, he gives Dean a thumbs up. "Nice work, Dean!" He commends. "Not a lot of books tell you, but the Loremn Oma grows better if it has attention. Weird, I know, but that's magic for you! Good job on figuring it out, buddy, you're getting an _A_!"

  
He looks at the rest of students' plants, but none of them get praise like Dean's.  Dean beams for the rest of the day, and Castiel tries not to be envious.

 

 

 

Halloween morning, Castiel wakes to the smell of babking pumpkin in the air. The smell permeates the castle, it wafts through corridors and into classrooms all day, making the whole day smell festive.

  
Classes are mostly uneventful, although Professor Mills does tell them that they're ready to move on to the levitating charm. She shows them the hand movement in detail, flicking her wrist delicately and saying, " _Wingardium Leviosa_ ". The feather she's aiming at sails gracefully into the air, and she flicks her wrist again to send it sailing across the room.

  
The students have less luck. Mostly nothing happens at all , but a few students manage to catch their feathers on fire. Castiel watches as Bela jabs angrily at her feather until it actually explodes, covering her in strange black soot. Ash gets his feather to float almost right away, and it stays floating lazily over his head as he dozes in his chair. Charlie and Castiel both have their feathers floating a few inches into the air by the time class is over, but neither of them can manage it for long. There's one girl who hasn't been able to get her feather to do _anything_ by the time class is over, and she breaks down crying even though Professor Mills assures her that most of her other classes don't manage it the first lesson _at all_.

  
In Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor Campbell drones on about the merits of holy water over religious symbols when fighting vampires, and Castiel wonders what the punishment would be if he were to fall asleep in class. When he glances around, Castiel sees Jo snoring softly in the back row, drool dripping down her chin. Professor Campbell either doesn't see or doesn't care, because he doesn't say anything about it.

  
The Halloween feast, though, more than makes up for the boring Defense Against the Dark Arts class.

  
The ceiling in the dining hall is dark with clouds and swarms of bats, candles sit out on the tables, dripping ominously among the food. Grinning pumpkins with mean smiles float in the air and flicker at the students.

  
The tables are laden with Halloween treats, as well as many of their normal foods. There are oodles of pies: pumpkin, apple, pecan, key lime. Puddings and cupcakes and chocolate weigh down the tables until they bow dangerously toward the floor. Dean, Gilda, and Benny come and sit at the Ravenclaw table, squeezed in among their friends. They all stuff themselves with food until the can barely move, and just lean on each other helplessly for the rest of the feast. After a few students have gone up to bed they play Wizard's Chess on the table, pushing aside the plates of half-eaten food for their small tournament. Kevin wins handily, so much so that Castiel thinks he might barely be trying. Afterward they splinter off, going this way and that, to houses and bathrooms, in groups and alone. Charlie, Castiel, and Dean end up winding their way toward Hufflupuff's dorms, as Charlie and Castiel are loathe to let Dean go by himself this late. It's a bit silly, none of them would be much more help than the others if they needed it, but for the moment they choose friendship over logic and walk Dean back to Hufflepuff house. They've almost reached the corridor that holds giant picture of fruit that hides the doorway to Hufflepuff house when Castiel catches a glimpse of pearly white out of the corner of his eye. When he turns, there's nothing. He starts down the hall toward where he saw the flash, but when he gets to the end there's only more empty hall. He scrunches his face in thought, not noticing when Charlie and Dean come up behind him.

  
"What'cha lookin' at?" Dean says from next to Castiel's head, making him jump.

  
"Jesus! You scared me!"

  
Dean laughs, and laughs... and laughs. He doubles over, holding his stomach. "You jumped like an entire foot!" He wheezes. "You should have seen your face! Oh my god!"

  
Castiel huffs and slaps Dean on the arm. "You jerk!"

  
Dean keeps laughing, and then Charlie starts laughing and Castiel rolls his eyes and cracks a smile. Now that his heart rate has calmed, he can admit that it might have been kind of funny. But then there's another flash of white at the dark end of the hall and the three of them run screaming back to the well-lit part of the castle.

 

 

 

That weekend Castiel convinces Anna to bring them a bad full of candy from Honeydukes, Chocolate Frogs and Acid Pops mostly, and Dean gets a package from his mother full of muggle candy. Dean,  Benny, Castiel, Charlie, and Jo pour all of their spoils into Jo's cauldron and haul it up to the abandoned corridor on the sixth floor, where they sit around playing Uno and eating candy until they make themselves sick. Jo throws up on the floor and Professor Crowley finds out and takes five points from Gryffindore. Jo gives him the finger once his back is turned, but doesn't say anything.

  
They move their candy-binge outside, to the cool grass around the lake, now covered in fallen leaves.

  
"What are y'all doin' for Christmas?" Benny asks, leaning back onto a tree, chewing lazily on strawberry taffy.

  
"I'm goin' home!" Dean says excitedly, around a mouthful of candy bar. "Mom is gonna make pie and Dad's gonna teach me to shoot an' I'm gonna teach Sammy about magic!"

  
"You know you're not supposed to do magic outside of school, right?" Castiel says with a frown.

  
Dean waves him off. "I mean, like, I'll teach him about plants and stuff. Herbology! What are you guys doing?"

  
"Anna, Gabe and I will be staying here." Castiel tells him. "We can't really afford to fly back just for Christmas."

  
"Me too." Benny drawls. "'s a bit of a flight."

  
"I'm staying too." Charlie says, but she doesn't elaborate.

  
Dean frowns. "You guys are _all_ gonna be here?"

  
"I'm not!" Jo pipes up. "Me and my mom are going to visit my Grandma in Little Hemmeltown."

  
"Well, okay." Dean says, satisfied that at least one other person won't be there either. "Just... don't have a bunch of adventures without me."

  
Charlie rolls her eyes. "What kind of adventures could we have?"

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on tumblr [here](http://frecklesandmisterblueeyes.tumblr.com/).


End file.
